Hello all. I am a 60-year-old male who has had a mild form of colitis for about 20 years now. For 2 years, I have been on Remicade which has helped but not totally brought me into remission. I work in an office environment and have lived a full active life with travel and activities, mainly running, tennis, and I love riding my motorcycle up north on country roads. Except for this condition, I am relatively healthy and fit. During a recent colonoscopy and subsequent biopsy of samples taken, my doctor told me that there was a change in the cells in the affected area that could lead to cancer. There is no cancer yet, but he is recommending that I have my colon removed to eliminate any risk. I went for a second opinion, and the doctor basically said the same thing and went over the results of the colonoscopy in detail. I am going for a third opinion on October 6 at a clinic that is world-renowned for colorectal surgery and treatment. I want to defer this surgery for as long as possible over fears that it will force me into retirement due to the lifestyle changes that I will need to make. There is no backup to what I do, and being off work for extended periods is just not an option. I can do certain work from home, but there are limits to that. The doctor tells me it will be only a 3-week absence before I can go back, but I tend not to believe this. Who knows what sort of complications can arise. I would really like to hear about the experiences of others on how they dealt with their surgery and the aftermath. Thanks.
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